ML20137J394
| ML20137J394 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Purdue University |
| Issue date: | 12/31/1996 |
| From: | Clikeman F, Merritt E PURDUE UNIV., WEST LAFAYETTE, IN |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9704030282 | |
| Download: ML20137J394 (7) | |
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i FILE _ H IA SCHOOL OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING . March 20, 1997 Chief, Radiological Programs Section 1 Region III l U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 801 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532-43$1 /
Docket No. 50-182 Enclosed please find two copies of the 1996 Annual report for the Purdue Reactor.
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E. C. Merritt j Reactor Supervisor !
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REPORT ON REACTOR OPERATIONS For the Period :
January 1,1996 to December 31,1996 I
t PURDUE UNIVERSITY REACTOR-1 l PURDUE UNIVERSITY West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 March 1997 :
Prepared by E. C. Merritt Reactor Supervisor (1997) with F. M. Clikeman Laboratory Director and Reactor Supervisor (1996) ,
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- 1. INTRODUCTION This report is submitted to meet the requirements set forth in 10 CFR 50.59 and the technical specifications of the Purdue University Reactor (PUR-1) for the period January 1, 1996 to December 31,1996.
During the reporting period of 1996 a total of 386 people visited the reactor facility. Those people included 159 different groups, of which 115 groups were for the purpose of maintenance or surveillance testing,20 groups were for class purposes,19 groups were pre- l scheduled tours, and 1 group was a participant in our reactor sharing program.
- 2. PLANT DESIGN AND OPERATIONAL CHANGES 2.1 Facility Desien Changes ,
There were no design changes to the facility in 1996.
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2.2 Itrformance Characteristics The operation of the PUR-1 facility continued satisfactorily during the reporting period. During the visualinspection of the surfaces of two representative fuel plates, F no changes were identified. This inspection included any defects that might compromise the integrity of the cladding including any evidence of corrosion.
Satisfactory performance of the fuel continued during the year.
2.3 Changes in Operatine Procedon's Concernine Safety of Facility Oncrations No changes in the operating procedun:s of the facility were made during 1996.
2.4 Results of Surveillance Tests and Inspections ,
2.4.1 Reactivity Limits )
The reactivity worths of the control rods were determined to be as follows:
Shim safety #1 - 5.02%
Shim-safety #2 - 2.67% )
Regulating Rod - 0.26%
The worth curves of the control rods were checked after the inspection and the excess was determined to be 0.46%. The shutdown margia was determined to be 7.95% based on these values.
The inspection of the control rods was completed on August 14,1996 with no evidence of change or deterioration observed. l
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No experiment was placed in the reactor pool during the year that would require the determination of its reactivity during the initial criticality following its installation.
2.4.2 Reactor Safety Systems j Each pre-startup check included a channel test for each safety system, provided the ;
shutdown exceeded 8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> or if the system was repaired or de-energized. !
With the exception of one run on March 28,1996 during which the reactor was in a ,
suberitical mode, each reactor safety system had a channel check performed at time intervals ofless than 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br /> during operation. ,
On October 22,1996, the electronic calibration of all safety channels was completed.
t The irradiation of gold foils for a power calibration was done on October 31,1996.
The calibration indicated that the actual power was 28% below the indicated power !
level at 100 watts and that the system was nonlinear in the last decade but in a conservative direction.
During the pre-startup which precedes each run, the radiation area monitors and the continuous air monitor were checked for normal operation. During 1996 the ,
calibration of the radiation area monitors and the continuous air monitor was !
completed on April 1 and September 27.
Following the control rod inspections, the rod drop times were measured on August 14,1996. The rod drop times fell between 537 and 574 milliseconds. These values are consistent with past measurements and are well within the specification limits of one second.
2.4.3 Primary Coolant System The weekly measurements of the pH of the primary coolant fell between 5.0 and 5.4 during 1996. These values are within the specification limits of 5.5 i 1.0. During the weekly checks and the pre-startup check which precedes each run, the conductivity of the primary coolant was measured and the values never exceeded 1.41 micromhos-cm. This represents a resistivity of more than 709,000 ohm /cm which exceeds the lower limit of 330,000 ohm /cm as given in the specifications.
The specification of 13 feet of water was always either met or exceeded, according to the pre-staned check list that was completed prior to each reactor run.
Monthly samples of the primary coolant were collected and analyzed by personnel from Radiological and Environmental Management for gross alpha and beta activity.
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? L No activity was identified in the samples which would indicate failure of the fuel l
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2.4.4 Containment j
-t Readings between 0.06 and 0.16 inches of water were recorded weekly for the . !
. negative pressure in the n: actor room. j i
The semi-annual checks made in 1996 for the proper operation of the inlet and outlet l dampers and the air conditioner were completed on January 29, July 22 and i
- December 12. All worked satisfactorily.
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- Selected fuel plates were visually inspected on August 14, 1996. The surface ;
! condition of fuel plate #4-3-73 indicated no change from the last inspection, and the
- l. . cladding of the other inspected plates identified no changes.
2.4.5 Frneriments ;
The mass of the singly encapsulated samples and the flux of the reactor are such that i the complete release of all gaseous, particulate, and volatile components of the ;
i samples wouki not result in doses in excess of 10% of the equivalent annual doses as .
l stated in 10 CFR 20. -
s No samples of unknown composition or that required double encapsulation were submitted forirradiation. l t
2.5 Changes. Tests and Experiments Reauising Commission Authorization During 1996 no changes, or experiments which required authorization from the
. Commission pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59 (a) were performed.
", 2.6 Chances in Facility Staff On December 31,1996, Dr. F. M. Clikeman went on partial retirement. lie intends to maintain his operating license. Mr. E. C. Merritt will assume the duties of reactor supervisor. Mr. R. Bean will assume the duties of laboratory director.
- 3. POWER GENERATION
! Operation of the PUR-1 during 1996 consisted of 22 runs which generated 103,176 watt-minutes of energy and covered an integrated running time of 62.1 hours1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br />.
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. I 4,11NSCIIEDULED SIIUTDOWNS l l
l Two unscheduled shutdowns occurred during 1996. One was associated with a mechanical l malfunction of the log count rate recorder only. The other had to do with the drive !
mechanism support cable used to raise and lower the fission chamber. ;
- 5. MAINTENANCE l Only routine maintenance was required during the reporting period other than the replacement of the fission chamber drive cable.
- 6. CHANCES. TESTS AND EXPERIMENTS
. No changes, tests or experiments were carried out without prior Commission approval pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 50.59 (b).
- 7. RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENT RELEASES ,
No measurable amount of radioactive effluents were released to the environs beyond our effective control, as measured at or prior to the point of such release.
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